Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis released a proposed congressional redistricting map that could shift the state from a 20–8 Republican advantage to a 24–4 advantage. The plan is expected to advance through the GOP-controlled legislature in a special session but has already drawn criticism from both Democrats and some Republicans. Critics argue the early release of a partisan-labeled map may violate Florida’s constitutional “Fair Districts” rules … Continue reading Ron DeSantis releases new congressional map creating four more GOP-leaning seats in Florida

Virginia’s Supreme Court justices questioned whether the state legislature properly followed constitutional rules when approving a congressional redistricting plan that voters narrowly passed. The plan could give Democrats up to four additional House seats, but Republicans argue the amendment process was flawed because lawmakers voted too late during an election period. The court is considering whether “election” includes early voting, which could invalidate the legislature’s … Continue reading Virginia weighs legality of new congressional map favoring Democrats

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the stalled US–Iran negotiations, saying the United States is being “humiliated” and outmaneuvered by Iran’s leadership. His comments came after multiple rounds of indirect talks in Islamabad ended without progress, despite the Trump administration’s claim that it held leverage. Iran recently proposed focusing negotiations on reopening the Strait of Hormuz while postponing nuclear and sanctions issues, a plan mediators say … Continue reading US is being ‘humiliated’ by Iran’s leadership, says Friedrich Merz

President Donald Trump said he believes he was the target of a third assassination attempt in under two years after an armed suspect was arrested near a Washington hotel. The suspect, Cole Tomas Allen, allegedly tried to breach a security perimeter before being taken into custody. Speaking after the incident, Trump described political violence as increasingly common and said “no country is immune.” He called … Continue reading Trump calls for unity and bipartisan healing after another violent incident

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a stronger European defense posture, arguing that the EU’s mutual assistance clause is a clear and powerful commitment, not just symbolic language. He pointed to recent coordinated military support for Cyprus as evidence that the clause has already been put into practice. Macron said this EU provision may even be stronger than NATO’s Article 5, amid concerns about … Continue reading Macron says EU’s mutual defence clause ‘not just words’

Hungary’s outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced he will not take his seat in parliament after his party suffered a major election defeat. The election was won by the center-right Tisza Party led by incoming Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who secured a strong parliamentary majority. Orbán said he will instead focus on reorganizing his political movement following the loss of power. The result marks the … Continue reading Hungary’s Viktor Orbán steps down from parliament after a landslide defeat

Loyalists of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas won most seats in recent municipal elections, officials said, including strong results in the West Bank. The vote was notable for including a rare symbolic election in Gaza’s Deir el-Balah, the first in the territory since 2006. Abbas’s Fatah-backed list secured the most seats there, while other local groups and independent lists also won representation. Hamas did not … Continue reading Abbas loyalists sweep Palestinian elections, including some seats in Gaza

Russian State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin praised North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for what he called the “liberation of Kursk,” thanking North Korean troops for helping Russia fight Ukrainian forces. North Korea has reportedly sent soldiers, missiles, and ammunition to support Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, including deployments in the Kursk region. In return, analysts say Pyongyang is receiving financial aid, food, energy, and … Continue reading Russian Parliament Speaker Thanks North Korea’s Kim for ‘Liberation of Kursk’